I realise that during the holidays (Am.) all discerning trend-setters among screen addicts will have been on Netflix (or similar) but back among the plebs a milestone was reached.
I recall that from my earliest years it was mandatory at home to be silent at 3 pm on Xmas day to listen/watch HM the Queen making her annual speech to her subjects, on pain of Grandpa’s awful displeasure: Shut up! So it was.
But in 2016, for the first time, more tv sets were tuned to less regal matters: the first episode of a new series of Sherlock, promising fiendishly new twists and subtle references to the old characters and events. Obviously the average Brit isn’t quite so addicted to the monarch’s words. Or maybe only the pensioners tune in these days. Like Donald J Trump, the twat generation have little time for broadcast speeches of more than 140 characters.
Sic transit gloria mundi.
Boadicea's Chariot 
I have to admit I have never watched the Queen’s speech in my life! I grew up in a house without a TV and my father was somewhat republican in view, having been in the worst of WWI he had no time for any of them. Since being an adult I always had better things to do than watch TV in the afternoon on Christmas Day. From the extracts it has always seemed to be platitudinous PC claptrap delivered in that artificial supercilious voice, not for me! The only reason I support monarchy is that it stops the Cherie Blairs of this world installing their complacent fat arses in Buck House! I may support their presence as a necessity, a bit like plumbing, but one does not want to listen to them too!
The Sherlock episode, was that “The Six Thatchers”? If so we had it on Sunday night here on PBS. I lasted about 20 minutes of totally inane, silly left wing drivel, insulting to boot before tottering off to read the papers.
i rather thought it made the Guardian look like a fascist broadsheet! Spousal unit manage to stomach it all the way through but then he watches sci fi with equanimity! For once, I think the American series Elementary, derived from the British show is vastly superior to the original, quite amusing and very unusual to be actually watchable.
Most TV is anodyne drivel, bad enough when it is free the thought of actually paying for it via Netflix is enough to give me the vapours!
Further thoughts. I noted last spring that prices seemed to be going through the roof in the UK and it appears that an awful lot of people are living much nearer to the bone than previously with cuts in handouts and services, zero hour contracts etc. As such I would have thought that people would have seen the Royal family as totally irrelevant to their lives and probably as a bunch of freeloaders who ought to go and get a job! The last thing they need is a pontificating personage waffling on about a load of athletes who are equally a bunch of freeloaders that are over hyped and over paid to run in circles etc. (I gather that was one of the the themes?)
The ‘great, good and entitled’ are seriously pushing their luck in my opinion in the UK. They should count themselves extremely fortunate that the population merely changed the TV channel rather than went the scythes and flambeaux route!
CO: The British Royal Family are self-funding. They are only allowed to keep 15pc of their wealth.
Compare that to the scum and parasites infecting Westminster, Sub-Canadian North America and France and they, at their worst, look angelic. You might be chuffed to bits to learn that the cost of living in the US now exceeds that of Sweden with a real tax rate that is higher than even Denmark’s. Harrod’s prices for Asda quality…
I love CO’s plumbing simile. The PoW will continue the clanking pipes tradition, so it will be yonks before William can replumb the system.
Christina : I agree with just about all you say although making the decision purely on financial grounds is a little cold blooded. There needs to be a little bit of heart in there in case the financial planning goes awry, then at least you’ve done something you enjoy.
I don’t see why most professions can’t operate on an apprenticeship basis. Starting at as young an age as possible.
Apprenticeships can be useful. A major drawback is that they commit youngsters to a career path at an early age when their ideas and ambitions may be as yet undeveloped.
janus “…..A major drawback is that they commit youngsters to a career path at an early age when their ideas and ambitions may be as yet undeveloped…….”
Not true, many skills are transferrable not to mention valuable real work experience.
Better than wasting 3 to 4 years studying PPE, sociology etc …etc.
Have akshully looked at the syllabus for PPE? If it is ‘useless’, there is no point in discussing anything.
What can you do with it? Change a light bulb?
With an MA (French and German) and a diploma in Medieval Studies I can change a light bulb and a fuse, jazz! But as regards sociology, I remember the comment of a doctor friend whose wife was doing a degree in it in its early days. He hoped that she would get her degree and find a job before people discovered how useless it was.
Well Sheona at least you can converse with French and German although why anyone would want to….??? Joooooooke…!!
Yes, sociology may not assist you with your light bulb challenge, Jazz. But your expertise is unlikely to help you understand much about life outside your dimly-lit cave.
You really believe that ???
Yes, I do. There are people that are capable of thinking about other ideas! Haven’t you heard of them? Oh sorry, they have no value in your world of light bulbs. 😱
I ‘m tired of this discussion. You can join my ignore list.
Beloved Viking approved of my plans to transition from academia to private industry. Having a comfortable position at a very good company his opinion carries weight. Many businesses are perfectly happy to hire people with university degrees in other disciplines. An MBA is no longer what it was 10-20 years ago. It’s also become somewhat problematic in that there is little variation in what is taught, whether it is in Europe, the UK and Commonwealth or Europe. As such, someone with a two-year certificate in business with a degree in history, regional studies or Classics is at times preferred as said candidate might bring a very different perspective.
Janus: You asked for the name of my alter ego. It’s Skippy, Lord Kangaroo of Bushbatten — or Lord Bushbatten for short. He’s an extremely regal, aristocratic macropod.
Jazz is tired of this but continues on the other post! 😏